According to Newzoo’s latest Global Games Market Report, the worldwide video‑game sector is set to expand by 6.1 percent in 2026, reaching a total value of roughly $213.9 billion. More than half of this consumer expenditure is expected to come from just two markets—China and the United States—underscoring the continued dominance of these economies in the digital entertainment landscape.
The full report, slated for release on September 10, provides a detailed breakdown of revenue by platform and highlights several key trends that will shape the industry over the next few years. Console gaming, for instance, is forecast to generate $46.9 billion in 2026, representing 22 percent of the overall market and marking a 5.1 percent increase from the previous year. A major driver of this uplift is the highly anticipated November launch of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI.
Newzoo estimates that the new title will lift full‑game spending by an impressive 17.5 percent, making it the strongest growth catalyst among all business models in the sector. Mobile gaming remains the largest slice of the pie, accounting for 57 percent of total revenues and projected to hit $121.1 billion. This 6.8 percent year‑on‑year rise is fueled by higher average spend per player and the rapid expansion of direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) distribution channels.
A recent joint survey by FastSpring and Omdia revealed that 96 percent of game studios either already run a D2C web store or plan to launch one soon. Developers cite greater brand visibility, stronger player loyalty, and direct access to first‑party data as the primary motivations for moving away from third‑party marketplaces. In contrast, the PC segment is expected to capture the smallest share of the market at 21 percent, translating to $45.9 billion in revenue.
While still growing—Newzoo projects a 5.3 percent increase year‑over‑year—the PC space is slowing down compared with its historical compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12 percent that the firm had projected for 2025. Nevertheless, growth on PC is anticipated to be geographically diverse, with significant contributions from the Asia‑Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East‑Africa (MEA) markets. When it comes to business models, premium and mid‑priced titles are expected to continue sustaining full‑game revenue streams, whereas microtransactions are poised to reclaim their position as the largest source of income across platforms. This shift reflects a broader industry move toward hybrid monetisation strategies that blend upfront purchases with ongoing in‑game spending.
Player numbers are also a focal point of Newzoo’s outlook. The total global player base is projected to reach 4.07 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual rate of 3.2 percent after a 4.4 percent increase in 2026. However, the pace of new player acquisition is expected to decelerate, prompting analysts to stress that future growth will rely more on retaining and monetising existing audiences rather than expanding the overall user pool.
Regional dynamics further illustrate where the industry’s momentum lies. Emerging markets, particularly in Asia‑Pacific, continue to drive the bulk of growth, while the Middle East and Africa are experiencing the fastest expansion rates. Mobile gamers alone are projected to number 3.10 billion in 2026, representing roughly 84 percent of all players worldwide. PC gamers are expected to reach 977 million (about 26 percent of the total), and console enthusiasts will number approximately 651 million, or 18 percent of the global audience.
Penetration rates are set to edge upward from 61.5 percent to 62 percent in 2026, indicating that the market is approaching saturation. Newzoo notes that there is limited scope for expanding the player base through deeper market penetration; instead, growth will be driven by the overall online population, which is forecast to rise by 3.5 percent to 5.97 billion people. In summary, the upcoming year promises robust financial performance for the gaming sector, buoyed by flagship releases like Grand Theft Auto VI, continued strength in mobile platforms, and an increasingly sophisticated approach to direct‑to‑consumer sales. While the pace of new player acquisition may slow, the industry’s focus on enhancing engagement, leveraging data‑driven insights, and diversifying monetisation models positions it well for sustained profitability in the years ahead.